Xerex Storn
Xerex Storn is the third Storn, and the Arkn-Dekn Lord of Death, Damnation, and Lust. He attached himself to Michaelis Winter, and attempted to take his vessel for his own use. However, he ended up becoming bound to him instead. He appears as a supporting character in Michael's Camera ''and ''Solar's Crimson. History Early Life Xerex was the third Storn that came into existence, and was the child of The Carver and Kry'toha. Like his siblings Eris and Barith, he was prohibited from entering The Infernous in order to prevent him from taking over. The Carver informed Xerex that he would one day face him in battle, and that he would need to find a vessel with a "handsome face" to look upon and "a strong fist" to connect with before that day arrived. Xerex became known to the Arkn and Dekn as their own Grim Reaper. He was believed to be the only being who understood the afterlife, reaping the souls of the recently deceased and "feeding" on their energy. He also moved among humans, studying various demons from lore so that he could masquerade as them and generate as much fear as possible. Certain humans began to venerate him as "The Frog God" (one of his suits being frogs), and honored him with small frog-shaped stone statues. Convergence In time, Xerex attached himself to the vessel of Michaelis Winter. He awakened Michaelis's ArknAngel powers, hoping to make use of them (and his body) in the fight with his father. Xerex began taking over Michaelis's vessel periodically, and at one point had him convinced he had murdered his boyfriend, Mark. Finally, after Michaelis's timeline underwent its apocalypse and broke, Xerex appeared in the miasma, replacing Michaelis's Guardian, Ellpagg. After taunting Michaelis and calling him weak and worthless (save for telling his Hethian blood), Xerex squeezed the life out of his heart and attempted to steal his vessel. However, Michaelis's embedded data remained in his body and fought back, overcoming Xerex; as a result, Xerex became bound to Michaelis's vessel, but with Michaelis in control. Gradually, after some training with Ellpagg, Michaelis began using Xerex's powers to enter The Infernous and free those who had overstayed their torment (with Xerex remaining outside, connected through a remote psychic link). Xerex wasn't at all pleased with the situation — and especially having another being use his powers to gain entrance to a realm he'd been banned from entering. To help make him more compliant, Michaelis (now known as Azrael) promised that if he ever needed to call upon Xerex to use his powers while inside The Infernous, he would sever their link and allow him to go free. Michael's Camera In several episodes during Season 3 of Michael's Camera, Michael Knight was shown to have a statue honoring The Frog God in the garden of his house. In the episode "Summoning an Arkn", Michael accidentally summoned the prophet Cecil Xenith, who strangely began petting the statue as if it were real. When Michael explained the stone frog's purpose, Xenith remarked that The Frog God sounded like "an asshole" (to which Michael agreed), adding, "there's only one God". Later that season, Azrael took up Michael's camera after Michael became a vessel for The Carver. Over the course of several episodes, Azrael explained his connection with Xerex to the audience. When Azrael learned that Tobias and Ambriel had become trapped in the Infernous and needed rescue, he feared that he would be unable to do so because Xerex was "throwing a hissy fit" inside him. Azrael shouted at Xerex, ordering him to come out so they could talk. Xerex emerged, and the two spoke through the rear view mirror in Azrael's car. Azrael agreed to break their bond and let Xerex go free, under the condition that he granted him access to his power one last time. Xerex agreed, and Azrael used his power to open a portal to the Infernous. While in the Infernous, Azrael used Xerex's power to free Ambriel, but then had to use the last of it to free Tobias, leaving him trapped. Once Azrael got out of the Infernous, he was somehow able to convince Xerex to join with him once again. How he was able to do this was not explained. Solar's Crimson On his next trip to The Infernous, Azrael became trapped there, due to a combination of PTSD and false guilt. During that time, he lost his memories and regressed to his human personality; this caused him to relive events from his previous life, including an early episode of possession by Xerex (who took over Michaelis's vessel while he was high). When Azrael became trapped in Humanity's Infernous, he called on Xerex (remotely) to try to figure out where he was. Xerex appeared in the bathroom mirror, causing Azrael to vomit a disgusting black fluid (which he said "tasted like ass"). Xerex explained that Azrael was in a section of the prison realm that had been constructed by Redgrave for humans. However, he was unable (or unwilling) to provide any answers beyond that. Throughout the exchange, Xerex was flippant and infuriating, giving deliberately vague responses, drumming his hands, and making faces (rolling his eyes, facepalming) whenever Azrael spoke. Xerex apparently remained with Azrael for many more eons, as Azrael learned how to use his powers over Time during an Eternity of training with Redgrave. Xerex's fate after this uncertain; he most likely died during the Battle of the Arknza, either when Azrael was killed and absorbed by Ellpagg or (if he was permitted to go free) at the hands of his own father — thus fulfilling The Carver's promise that he would one day face him in battle. Personality Xerex has a cocky, smug personality, and tends to act as a malicious trickster (with Azrael describing his general attitude as "fucked"). He is rather dramatic, and enjoys causing fear and discomfort in others. He studies human lore about demons so that he can masquerade as one, often incorporating stereotypical "demonic" behavior into mannerisms (such as causing his vessels to vomit profusely). He often refuses to speak out loud, conversing only via telepathy (with his mental voice sounding deep and demonic, and often accompanied by sinister whispering or chanting). When he can't induce fear, Xerex tries to be as infuriating and cryptic as possible. He is also highly opportunistic, refusing to do anything unless there is some benefit in it for him; he uses his station as the reaper of the dead to feed on the life energy of the deceased, and only allows Azrael the use of his powers when it is convenient for him (or he feels like it). Appearance Xerex appears as a dark-haired, red-eyed man bearing a great resemblance to Michaelis. (However, this is likely not his natural appearance, as he is merely appearing through Michaelis's vessel.) He may have leathery, demon-like wings. He typically dresses in dark-colored sweatpants and a dark, sleeveless zippered hoodie (a modern twist on a Grim Reaper's hooded cloak). As the Arkn-Dekn Lord of Lust, he occasionally appears shirtless and clad a black bondage harness. Sometimes, he wears a balaclava resembling a skull. Quotes Notes and Trivia Behind the Scenes * Xerex was originally going to be the Arkn/Dekn God of Death, Murder, and Frogs (hence, his title as "The Frog God")."Xerex Storn", Arknthology Wiki. Oddly, in the non-canon series ''Handprints'', the Cult of Coolificus Coolage makes offerings to The Hooks Killer as "the Emissary of the Frog God"; this may be a reference to the fact that Hooks has a deep connection to The Carver, Xerex's father. * Xerex first appeared in three early episodes of'' Solar's Crimson Season 1 (which were posted concurrently with Season 3 of ''Michael's Camera). In these episodes, Xerex stalked and possessed Michaelis and revealed his backstory to the audience, including his plans for Michaelis's vessel (hinting that he would somehow use him to start the apocalypse in that timeline). These episodes were later deleted, as DeathlyLogic was dissatisfied with his performance and wanted to tweak the plot of the series (turning it from a prequel series to a true sequel to MC). However, the information revealed in the videos is still considered canon (save perhaps for the information about Xerex starting an apocalypse). * Originally, Xerex was going to be bound to Michaelis by accident. In this version of events (which was planned to be revealed in The Knight Shift: End Times), Xerex had a battle with Ellpagg in The Infernous; the battle spilled over into .Reality, where Ellpagg tried to seal Xerex inside an Arkn Trap and failed, resulting in Xerex becoming sealed in Michaelis's body instead. DeathlyLogic eventually scrapped this idea for the canon explanation, which gave Michaelis more agency and added conflict. * DeathlyLogic has confirmed that Xerex only causes Azrael to vomit black sludge because he likes being dramatic and annoying Azrael as much as possible (and that he is perfectly capable of appearing without it). * While Xerex presents himself as the Grim Reaper and the "only being who understood the afterlife", this isn't accurate: while he certainly knows more about the afterlife than any other being, he doesn't seem to know anything about the afterlife beyond the Infernous. He also knows very little about Humanity's Infernous (which was Redgrave's creation and domain). This confirms what Raziel stated in The Writings of Raziel (i.e. that there may have been an afterlife beyond the Infernous, but that nobody truly knows anything about it). ** One of the deleted videos also revealed that Xerex doesn't know (and has no say in) what happens to the souls of the deceased that he "fed" on, and that their fate is up to "actual Death" (suggesting that he isn't the true Grim Reaper, either). Gallery Froggod.png|Garden statue honoring the Frog God. Xerex.gif|Xerex during one of his early possessions of Michaelis. Category:Universe A Category:Characters Category:Hybrids Category:Storn Category:Males Category:Nobility Category:Antagonists Category:Characters (Universe A)